Attention Coaches and Youth Mentors!

YOU Can Help Connect Kids to Books!

In the article "Great Ideas Connecting Kids to Books" by Mary Brigid Barrett in the NCBLA's Mentor Handbook on thencbla.org, Barrett explains how all the adults in a young person's life--not just a child's parents and teachers, but his or her other family and community members--can make a huge impact on a child's life. All adults who live and work with children in even limited ways can encourage kids to turn off the TV and video games and engage in a good book!

Here is an excerpt:

Grandparents, uncles, aunts, friends, neighbors, coaches, scout and camp councilors, youth volunteers—all of you have far more influence on the kids in your life than you know. And you have enormous influence on the children and teens that have parents who, for whatever reason, are unable to fulfill their parental responsibilities. Your position is free of even ordinary parental/child/teen tension, and because of that, your leadership and friendship are hugely meaningful, especially to preteen and teens that are naturally looking beyond their own backyards for mentors. Don’t be afraid to exert your influence encouraging kids to read, to write, to stay in school and learn.
 

To read the entire article, click here.

The NCBLA website is overflowing with informative articles for adults and who live and work with young people. Whether you are a parent, teacher, grandparent, or coach, you will find something to help you encourage literacy and help your kids become lifelong readers! Be sure to check out:

*  Parent and Guardian Handbook

*  Teacher Handbook

*  Mentor Handbook

Great Books for the Young Baseball Fans in Your Life

Take Me Out to the Ball Game,
But Let's Read a Book Before We Go!

It's baseball season! From little league to the major league, players and fans alike are playing catch, swinging their bats, and gathering for an afternoon at the ball park. If your child absolutely adores baseball, why not take advantage of that passion and look for baseball-themed books during your next trip to the local library?! Finding books whose subjects match your kids' passions is a great way to get and keep kids reading!
 
The librarian at your local library can help your kids find books that match your kids' interest. For some great ideas to get started with your search for young baseball fans in your life, check out the NCBLA's article "Home Run Reading: Baseball and Books for Kids," which not only offers tips but a list of recommended titles too. 

You might also want to check out Reading Rockets' "Take Me Out to the Ball Park" reading list for younger readers, as well AdLit.org's "Baseball Books" list for teen readers.

New Head of Library of Congress Young Readers Center Named

Congratulations to Karen Jaffe,
the New Head of the
Library of Congress Young Readers Center
in Washington, DC

Karen Jaffe, manager of education projects for MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, producers of the PBS Newshour, is the new head of the Library of Congress Young Readers Center. In her new role, she will manage the day-to-day operations of the center, which opened in 2009 as the first Library space devoted to the needs of young people.
"The opportunity to join the Young Readers Center at the Library of Congress is a splendid gift," said Jaffe. "Being surrounded by the best in literature for children, working with talented and dedicated staff and volunteers, and helping children explore books in this very special space in the Jefferson Building is a privilege."

"We eagerly welcome Karen, who brings her extensive experience in creating educational programs for young people to the Young Readers Center," said John Y. Cole, director of the Center for the Book, which administers the Young Readers Center.

Jaffe’s experience at PBS included co-directing an online video news broadcast for middle- and high- school students and managing curriculum development, assessment and student competitions. Previously, Jaffe founded and directed KIDSNET, a clearinghouse for children’s electronic media. Jaffe has also been a communications specialist for the National Education Association.

"I look forward to developing new programs for the Young Readers Center and to expanding the center’s national outreach with new partnerships and collaborations," Jaffe said.

Since its creation by Congress in 1977 to "stimulate public interest in books and reading," the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress (www.Read.gov/cfb/) has become a national force for reading and literacy promotion. A public-private partnership, it sponsors educational programs that reach readers of all ages, nationally and internationally. The center provides leadership for affiliated state centers for the book (including the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and nonprofit reading- promotion partners and plays a key role in the annual Library of Congress National Book Festival. It also oversees the Library’s Read.gov website and administers the Poetry and Literature Center.

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance has been privileged to enjoy a long and productive relationship with the Center for the Book. Our partnership has developed many engaging programs for the National Book Festival, as well as the national reading and writing outreach initiative titled The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, which is featured on the Center for the Book's website Read.Gov. (Click here to check out The Exquisite Corpse Adventure.)  The NCBLA congratulates Ms. Jaffe on her appointment and wishes all the best to everyone in the Young Readers Center as they continue to promote reading and books for young people.

The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution, is the world’s pre-eminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled integrated resources to Congress and the American people. The Library provides information, understanding and inspiration to the public, scholars, Members of Congress and their staffs. Many of the Library’s resources and treasures may also be accessed through the Library’s website at www.loc.gov. 

Website Helps You Find Just the Right Book for Your Child

Themed Book Lists on Reading Rockets'
Start with a Book Website Help You Find Winning Books for Your Kids

With 24 kid-tested themes to choose from, you can find the perfect book for your child to dive right into on Reading Rockets' Start with a Book website. Each theme (including kid favorites like Dinosaurs, Sports, Art, and Cooking) includes carefully chosen fiction and nonfiction books, hands-on activities, writing ideas, apps, and other websites to deepen learning. Parents can also sign up for summer literacy text messages, in both English and Spanish.

For a summer full of discovery and learning, download and print the Start with a Book flyer.

To visit the Start with a Book website, click here.

Parental Connection to Libraries Defined

Pew Study Reveals the Strong Connections Parents Have with Public Libraries 

What's the one thing that nearly all parents agree is valuable for their children? The library, of course! Ninety-four percent of parents say libraries are important for their children, according to new report by the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project.

The study, "Parents, Children, Libraries, and Reading," reveals the strong connections parents have with public libraries.

"This study echoes what librarians have heard from parents for years: libraries encourage and build a love of reading and books," said American Library Association President Maureen Sullivan in a statement. "Librarians provide more information and resources than any family can afford to have at home. Libraries provide a safe and welcoming space for reading and learning."

To read the study, click here. 
 

Kids and Books: Supporting Arguments

NCBLA Article "Why Do Kids Need Books?" Provides Compelling Arguments Regarding the Critical Value of Books to Kids

Why do kids need books? 

Here are just a few reasons from our article:
 
Books create warm emotional bonds between adults and kids when they read books together.

Books help kids develop basic language skills and profoundly expand their vocabularies—much more than any other media.

Books are interactive; they demand that kids think.

To read our entire list published in the Parent and Teacher Handbook on our website thencbla.org, click here.

While visiting our Parent & Guardian Handbook, take a few minutes to also check out:

• Parent and Guardian Literacy Basics 
• I Will Read to My Kids---If I Ever Find the Time! 
• Kids See, Kids Do! Become a Literacy Role Model 

The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance, a not-for-profit organization founded by award-winning young people's authors and illustrators, believes that literacy is about far more than the ability to read. We believe that all young people must have equal access to exciting and interesting books and information sources that invite them to dream and give them the tools to achieve their dreams. We believe that literacy is essential to the development of responsible citizens in a democracy. To learn more, click here to visit our website.
 

We Will Miss Our Dear Friend Fredrick McKissack

The NCBLA Extends Our Deepest, Heartfelt Condolences to the McKissack Family
Upon the Passing of Fredrick McKissack

Fredrick and Patricia McKissack pose behind their home in 2009.
Photograph from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance is deeply saddened by the loss of beloved board member Fredrick McKissack, husband and writing partner of NCBLA board member Patricia McKissack. Fred, with Pat, was a founding board member of the NCBLA, gifting us with his time and talent, his experience and wisdom, expanding our perspective in multiple directions.

Patricia and Fredrick McKissack created over 100 books for young people, Pat doing the majority of the writing, Fred doing the research. Their book, A Long Hard Journey:The Story of the Pullman Porter, was awarded both the Coretta Scott King Award and the Jane Addams Peace Award; other books have received numerous national awards and accolades. Fred McKissack felt strongly that all young people need good literature by and about African Americans. He stated a dual goal of improving the self-image of African-American children and of encouraging an open attitude in all children toward cultures different from their own.

Fred McKissack was a man of honor and duty; a man of compassion and kindness; a man who brought light, joy, love, and wisdom into the lives of his beautiful family and many friends. We are so grateful, and honored, to have had Fred in our lives.

For those who would like to honor the life of Fredrick McKissack, donations may be made to the United Negro College Fund in Fred's name. Click here. 
 
Read the obituary for Fredrick McKissack in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch here. 

The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum Is Now Open

Connect Kids to Presidential History with a Trip to a Presidential Birthplace,
Library, or Museum

The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum opened last week on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Its mission is to "serve as a resource for the study of the life and career of George W. Bush, while also promoting a better understanding of the Presidency, American history, and important issues of public policy. The Library and Museum accomplishes its mission by preserving and providing access to Presidential records and other donated collections, hosting public programs, creating educational initiatives, preserving artifacts, and producing innovative museum exhibits." 

To learn more about the library and museum, visit the library's website. 

More than twenty states boast presidential birthplaces, historic homes, libraries, and museums. Many of these very special places include extensive exhibits profiling events from the campaign trail and include not only samples of campaign posters and other memorabilia, but also audio and video exhibits that enable you to hear or watch the candidates’ stump speeches and the commercials created to help win votes. 

Before visiting a presidential museum or library, be sure to check out the special activities calendar by calling ahead or reviewing the website because many libraries offer child-friendly and family-oriented activities to engage young people during an election year. For a comprehensive guide to finding presidential sites and museums, listed by state, check out the NCBLA’s "Field Trip Guide! Presidential Birthplaces, Houses, and Libraries.”

If visiting a presidential museum or library in person is not possible, you can visit one virtually by checking out content on the library’s website. Many presidential museums and libraries offer articles, curricula, and other resources you can download and use free. The website for the new George W. Bush Library and Museum includes articles the president and his family, as well as a section for teachers that offers classroom resources and professional development materials. The classroom resources includes, for example, the "Primary Sources Toolkit," which provides analysis strategies, lesson plans, and links to a variety of primary sources for the classroom.

Celebrate Dia!

Dia Event Celebrates Many Children, Many Cultures, Many Books

 

El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), known as Día, is a celebration EVERY DAY of children, families, and reading that culminates every year on April 30.

 

Dia emphasizes the importance of advocating literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

 

Share the Joy of Dia!

Teachers, librarians, parents, and guardians, YOU can share the joy of Dia with all the young people in your life! Check out the ALA's Dia website for planning ideas and resources, and check out the ALSC's Dia map to find Dia celebrations in communities around the country. 

 

For a resource guide to celebrating Dia, click here. 

 

To review the Dia book list, which lists book recommendations by age, click here. 

 

To watch Reading Rockets interviews with celebrated Hispanic and Latino children's book authors and illustrators, including Pat Mora — the founder of El día de los niños/El día de los libros, click here.

Library of Congress Announces National Book Festival Presenters

The Library of Congress
National Book Festival to be Held
September 21-22

NCBLA Board Members
Susan Cooper and Katherine Paterson
Among Authors Invited to Speak

The NCBLA presented a dramatic reading of The Exquisite Corpse
Adventure at the 2011 National Book Festival.

The Library of Congress recently announced its list of confirmed authors and illustrators for this yea's 13th annual National Book Festival, a group of more than 100 of the world's literary talent. The National Book Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 21 and Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013, between 9th and 14th streets on the National Mall. The event, free and open to the public, will run from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, rain or shine.

Poets and authors slated to appear at the festival include Katherine Applegate, Marie Arana, Rick Atkinson, Margaret Atwood, Paolo Bacigalupi, Nicholson Baker, Bonnie Benwick, A. Scott Berg, Holly Black, Taylor Branch, Monica Brown, Steve Coll, Susan Cooper, Justin Cronin, Matt de la Peña, Don DeLillo, Katherine Erskine, Richard Paul Evans, Brian Floca, Eric Gansworth, Albert Goldbarth, Mark Helprin, Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez, Juan Felipe Herrera, Jennifer and Matthew Holm, Khaled Hosseini, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Pati Jinich, Adam Johnson, William P. Jones, Cynthia Kadohata, Barbara Kingsolver, Jamaica Kincaid, Matthew J. Kirby, Jon Klassen, Kirby Lawson, Grace Lin, Mario Livio, Rafael López, Kenneth W. Mack, William Martin, Ayana Mathis, James McBride, D.J. MacHale, Heather McHugh, Lisa McMann, Terry McMillan, Brad Meltzer, Elizabeth Moon, Christopher Myers, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Kadir Nelson, Patrick Ness, Joyce Carol Oates, Katherine Paterson, Daniel Pink, Andrea and Brian Pinkney, Matthew Quick, Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome, Vaddey Ratner, Christel Schmidt, Jon and Casey Scieszka, Chad "Corntassel" Smith, Andrew Solomon, Sonya Sones, Walter Stahr, Manil Suri, James L. Swanson, Mark Teague, Evan Thomas, Natasha Trethewey, Steve Vogel, Dean Young, Charles Whelan and Henry Wiencek.

The 2013 Library of Congress National Book Festival will feature authors, poets and illustrators in several pavilions, including two Sunday-only pavilions: Graphic Novels/Science Fiction and Special Presentations. Festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite poets and authors, get books signed, have photos taken with PBS storybook characters and participate in a variety of activities. An estimated 210,000 people attended in 2012.

Details about the Library of Congress National Book Festival can be found on its website at LOC.gov/bookfest. The website offers a variety of features, and new material will be added to the website as authors continue to join this year’s lineup.

More Ways to Celebrate Poetry Month!

Share a Poem with the Kids in Your Life!

National Poetry Month is a month-long, national celebration of poetry established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 with the ultimate goal of widening the attention of individuals and the media—to the art of poetry, to living poets, to our complex poetic heritage, and to poetry books and journals of wide aesthetic range and concern. 

As New England AND the NCBLA take off some time this week to celebrate spring break, we present to you these suggestions from the Academy of American Poets for celebrating National Poetry Month. Here's ten from their extensive list:

1. Read a book of poetry.
2. Memorize a poem.
3. Revisit a classic poem. Maybe a Shakespearean sonnet?
4. Put poetry in an unexpected place...perhaps the bathroom mirror?
5. Bring a poem to your place of worship.
6. Attend a poetry reading at your bookstore, library, or coffee shop.
7. Support a literary organization.
8. Take a poem out to lunch.
9. Recite a poem to family or friends.
10. Add your favorite verse to your email signature.

Visit poets.org to discover the remaining 20 ways you can celebrate National Poetry Month! Which is your favorite? What other ideas can you come up with? How can you integrate poetry into your family's daily life?

MORE Poetry Resources!

Poetry lovers who also enjoy American history may delight in reading Gregory Maguire's poetic metaphor about the White House titled "Looking In, Looking Out" and Nikki Grimes' poem about a blind student's visit to the White House titled "Staking Claim." Both are available exclusively on OurWhiteHouse.org.

Also be sure to review the diverse poetry included in the printed anthology Our White: Looking In, Looking Out, which is available in libraries and bookstores. Included in the Our White House collection are Jane Yolen's imagined conversation between John and Abigail Adams titled "The White House First Residents," Jack Prelutsky's humorous poem about the Clinton's cat titled "I Live in the White House," Jon Scieszka's rhyme titled "The White House," Lee Bennett Hopkins' poem titled "Good Nights," Kate DiCamillo's touching piece about Lincoln's death titled "In Early April," and Paul B. Janeczko's haunting "Mary Todd Lincoln Speaks of Her Son's Death, 1862."

Learn more about Our White House at OurWhiteHouse.org.

Celebrate Poetry Month!

Look to Poetry Inspired by the White House

Check Out Offerings in
Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out and OurWhiteHouse.org

April is poetry month, and in celebration, why not find a poem or two to share with the young people in your life? A variety of poems inspired by history and written by some of America's most gifted poets await you within the NCBLA's interdisciplinary anthology, Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out.  The diverse collection of poems--some poignant, others just plain fun--includes:

"Mary Todd Lincoln Speaks of Her Sons' Death, 1862" by Paul B. Janeczko

"In Early April" by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Sheban

"Good Nights" by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by William Low

"The White House" by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Tony Fucile

"I Live in the White House" by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Jim LaMarche 

"Inaugural Morning" by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by A. G. Ford (paperback edition) 

"Staking Claim," also written by Nikki Grimes, is available on the NCBLA's education website OurWhiteHouse.org. Just click here.  

The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance created Our White House to encourage young people to read more about America’s rich history and culture; to think more about America’s future; to talk more about our nation’s leadership; and to act on their own beliefs and convictions, ensuring this great democratic experiment will survive and thrive. Featuring the work of more than 100 authors and illustrators, this incomparable collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, poetry, and a stunning array of original art, Our White House offers a multifaceted look at America's history through the prism of the White House.

Our White House is available in both hardcover and paperback from Candlewick Press. Ask for it at a library or bookstore near you!

Activist Alert!

Ask Your Congressional Representatives
to Support Funding
for Libraries and Childhood Literacy

Appropriations season is heating up in Washington DC. Please call your U.S. Representative by Wednesday, April 10 and ask them to sign two separate "Dear Colleague" letters that will greatly help libraries.

Support Funding for LSTA
in FY 2014
Ask your representative to support funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Here's why:

• LSTA is the primary source of funding for libraries in the federal budget
• LSTA helps many public libraries provide services to users that include, but are not limited to: job searches, résumé building help, digital literacy workshops, access to e-government services, etc.

Your representative can sign a letter indicating their support for LSTA in the FY13 budget. Ask your representative to contact Rep. Raul Grijalva's (D-AZ) office to sign the LSTA letter.


Support Funding for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy Competitive Grant
Ask your representative to support Childhood Literacy in FY 2014. Here is why:

• Congress included $28.6 million in the FY12 budget for this competitive grant administered through the U.S. Department of Education to support school libraries and national nonprofit literacy organization working toward childhood literacy
• A minimum of half of this money will go as a competitive grant to low-income school libraries to help update their books and materials.

Ask your representative to sign a letter supporting Childhood Literacy in FY 2014, here's how:

Republicans: If your representative is a Republican, ask them to contact Rep. Don Young's (R-AK) office to sign on to this letter.

Democrats: If your representative is a Democrat, ask them to contact Rep. Jim McGovern's (D-MA) office to sign on to this letter.


Please call today! It's EASY.  Go to the Action Alert page of the ALA website and enter your zip code into the "Call Now" box to find the number for your representative.

April Is National Poetry Month

Share a POEM
with the Young People in Your Life! 

Invite Kids to Write Their Own Poems!

In honor of National Poetry Month, we share with you below one of nineteenth century, American poet Emily Dickinson's poems, "'Hope' is the thing with feathers." Why not take a moment and share it with the young people in your life?  

 

Take turns reciting each stanza. Print copies of the poem and put them in your pocket. Ask young people to write their own poems inspired by hope, faith, nature, family, friends, or something else they cherish!

“Hope” is the thing with feathers
By Emily Dickinson 1830–1886

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

MORE Fun with Poetry!

To hear and watch actress Claire Danes reading Dickinson's poem, click here.

 

To learn more about poet Emily Dickinson, visit the Emily Dickinson Museum website. Here you will find poetry activities, a Dickinson poem of the week, teacher resources, and information for visiting the Dickinson Museum and properties in Amherst, Massachusetts.

 

To find more poems by Dickinson and other poets, visit your local library or bookstore!

 

To discover more ways you can celebrate National Poetry Month, visit Poets.org. 

To see a list of recommended poetry books for kids ages 0-9, visit ReadingRockets.org.

To see a list of recommended poetry books for older kids, visit AdLit.org.

More Spring Teaching Ideas!

Check Out 10 Creative Ways

to Teach the Joy of Spring 

Even if it doesn’t yet feel like spring where you live, the seasons changed last week, and everyone is ready to celebrate. Parents, grandparents, teachers, and librarians---take a look at "10 Ways to Teach the Joys of Spring" by Katherine Schulten in the New York Times. Included are fun, engaging ideas for teaching 10 seasonal subjects, from poetry and baseball to Earth Day and April Fools’ Day, all via Times articles, essays and multimedia. Older kids will certainly get a kick out of learning the cultural history of spring break.

To check out all 10 ideas, click here. 

And be sure to check out the Poetic Spring, March Magic, and April Delights recommended reading booklists on ReadingRockets. org.

Dig In! Learning Opportunities Abound This Spring!

Plant a Garden with Your Kids and
Reap the Rewards

Copyright (c) 2008 by S. D. Schindler

Celebrate this first day of Spring by making plans to plant a garden with your kids. No matter how big--or small--the garden, you and your family can benefit not only from the garden's bounty but also from the experience itself. 

 

In the NCBLA article "Growing a Spring Garden: Cultivating Plants and Your Child's Literacy Skills," author and educator Mary Brigid Barrett explains the interdisciplinary opportunities inherent in gardening with your children.

Make Connections!

Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert, March 26, 2012

To get your kids excited about gardening, make connections with the gardening work of other kids, including the work of the First Family. You can learn more about the Obama's experiences in planting, harvesting, and eating healthy recipes made from the bounty of the White House kitchen garden by searching kitchen garden on WhiteHouse.gov. For information on taking students on a free tour of the White House kitchen garden, click here. To discover White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford's grilled garden pizza recipe, click here.  

 

Dig into the Past!

Help young people make connections to the past in the article "White House Colonial Kitchen Gardens" by Stephanie Loer in the NCBLA's literature and art anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out. S. D. Schindler's coordinating illustration of Thomas Jefferson enjoying the bounty of his own White House kitchen garden is featured above.

And be sure to check out the online article "A Taste of the Past: White House Kitchens, Menus, and Recipes" by Mary Brigid Barrett. This article is included in the educational companion website to Our White House and features a glimpse into the days before modern appliances eased the burdens of the White House cook. Also included in "A Taste of the Past" is President Dwight Eisenhower's not-to-be-missed recipe for Green Turtle Soup!

The National Children's
Book and Literacy Alliance's award-winning book Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out is filled with stunning art, poetry, stories, and personal accounts that celebrate our Presidents and First Ladies, and the history and culture of America! All proceeds go to help the NCBLA continue its work. Our White House is available in both hardcover and paperback from Candlewick Press.  

 

Learn more at OurWhiteHouse.org.

Ask for Our White House
at a library or bookstore near you! 

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS ANNOUNCES 2013 LITERATURE AWARD WINNERS

Natalie Babbitt Awarded the Academy's Inaugural E. B. White Award

The American Academy of Arts and Letters announced today the names of 19 writers who will receive its 2013 awards in literature. The awards will be presented in New York in May at the Academy's annual Ceremonial. The literature prizes, totaling $175,000, honor both established and emerging writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The Academy's 250 members nominate candidates, and a rotating committee of writers selects winners. This year's committee members were Louis Begley, Louise Glück, A. R. Gurney, Alison Lurie, Francine Prose, Mark Strand and Charles Wright. 

The inaugural E.B. White Award of $10,000 recognizes a writer for achievement in children's literature and was given to NCBLA board member Natalie Babbitt! Congratulations!

Eight Arts and Letters Awards in Literature honor exceptional accomplishment in any genre. This year, the awards of $7500 each will be presented to Katherine Boo, Joanna Klink, Neil Labute, Bill McKibben, Bruce Norris, Darryl Pinckney, D.A. Powell, and Brad Watson.

Read the complete list of awards here.

Check Out This New Book!

New Anthology WHO DONE IT? 
by Jon Scieszka Pulls Together
Talents of 80 Authors!

A star-studded anthology with a devilish hook, whose proceeds benefit 826nyc: the fabulous literacy non-profit founded by Dave Eggers.

Can you imagine the most cantankerous book editor alive? Mr. Burns meets Stalin, but worse (appearance and odor-wise) than a gluttonous farm pig? A man who makes no secret of his love of cheese or his disdain of unworthy authors? That man is Herman Mildew.

The anthology opens with an invitation to a party, care of this insufferable monster, where over eighty of the most talented, bestselling, and recognizable names in children's and YA fiction learn that they are suspects in his murder. All must provide alibis in brief first-person entries. The problem is that all of them are liars; all of them are fabulists; and all have something to hide.

NCBLA Executive Director Mary Brigid Barrett says, "Go buy this book for your kids. Every kid on the planet needs this book. And the extra bonus is that proceeds from WHO DONE IT? benefit 826nyc, the literacy non-profit founded by Dave Eggers!"

Save the Dates!

Library of Congress National Book Festival
Scheduled for September 21-23
on the National Mall in Washington, DC

Book lovers of all ages are invited to attend the 13th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are honorary chairs for the event. The festival is free and open to the public.

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance presented a
Readers Theater Production of THE EXQUISITE CORPSE ADVENTURE
at the 2011 National Book Festival.

This year's festival will feature authors, poets and illustrators in several pavilions. Festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite poets and authors, get books signed, hear special entertainment, have photos taken with storybook characters and participate in a variety of activities.

Festival fans and other lovers of the printed word are invited to take a "Books That Shaped the World" survey on the Library of Congress National Book Festival website, loc.gov/bookfest. The Library, which invited public comment on "Books That Shaped America" in 2012, will continue its multi-year Celebration of the Book with a look at Books That Shaped the World in 2013.

"Last year’s festival drew more authors and more readers than ever before" said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. "The excitement is building once again as we invite a public conversation about the power of books to change the world."

Learn more at loc.gov/bookfest.

To watch videos of authors and illustrators presenting at previous book festivals, click here.

Get Kids Reading This Spring!

Check Out Great Reading Resources for Spring!

If you are looking for ways to engage even the most reluctant reader to enjoy a few great books this spring, be sure to check out RIF's free and easy-to-print activity guide, filled with fun ideas like "Books for Breakfast" and the "1,2 Buckle My Shoe" rhyming game. To print RIF's Spring Ahead with Reading Fun Guide, click here. 

Another excellent resource for getting kids excited about reading is "Growing a Spring Garden: Cultivating Plants and Your Child's Literacy Skills" by Mary Brigid Barrett, on the NCBLA's website thencbla.org. This extensive article provides some great ideas for getting kids reading AND active, such as looking at seed and garden catalogs with your child, planning a spring garden, and creating a garden sketchbook and journal.

And don't forget your local library! Your library's children's and YA librarians can help you sort the stacks for the best books for your kids!